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40 S&W

Smith and Wesson and Winchester partnered to develop 40 Smith and Wesson ammo or the "40 cal" cartridge as a round for law enforcement. Their hope was to create a caliber that could mimic the performance of the FBI's reduced-velocity 10mm automatic round with rounds small enough in physical size to be carried with a medium-frame pistol.

40 S&W quickly caught on and remains a popular caliber for personal protection and range training today. Range shooters will likely opt for full metal jacket (FMJ) rounds with a non-expanding bullet while those seeking a round for protection will want to look at jacketed hollow point (JHP) ammo. In terms of ballistic performance, expect the lighter 40 cal rounds (155-grain) to leave the muzzle at about 1,205 feet per second and the heavier rounds (180-grain) to bring a muzzle velocity of about 1,050 feet per second.

Look for a wide selection of 40 S&W ammo for sale from trusted manufacturers like Federal, PMC and Hornady in the most common bullet types out there today, like full metal jacket (FMJ), jacketed hollow point (JHP) in the categories listed below:

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1 - 20 of 74

  1. 500rds - 40 S&W Winchester USA 165gr. FMJ Ammo 500rds - 40 S&W Winchester USA 165gr. FMJ Ammo Video

    $179.95

    $164.95

    $0.33/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    29 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    412     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1060     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    165 Grain
  2. 500rds – 40 S&W Winchester Super Clean 120gr. Lead-Free FMJ Ammo 500rds – 40 S&W Winchester Super Clean 120gr. Lead-Free FMJ Ammo

    $199.95

    $164.95

    $0.33/ppr

    46 In Stock

    Bullet type
    Lead Free     Muzzle Energy
    416     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1250     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    120 Grain
  3. 1000rds - 40 S&W Sellier & Bellot 180gr. FMJ Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Sellier & Bellot 180gr. FMJ Ammo Video
    $334.95
    $0.33/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 5 Reviews

    4 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 5 Reviews

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    375     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    968     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    180 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  4. 1000rds - 40 S&W Blazer Brass 180 Grain FMJ Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Blazer Brass 180 Grain FMJ Ammo Video
    $344.95
    $0.34/ppr

    13 In Stock

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    985     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    180 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  5. 1000rds - 40 S&W Speer Lawman 180gr. TMJ Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Speer Lawman 180gr. TMJ Ammo
    $344.95
    $0.34/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    12 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    Bullet type
    Total Metal Jacket (TMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    400     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1000     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    180 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  6. 1000rds – 40 S&W Federal LE BallistiClean 125gr. RHT Frangible 1000rds – 40 S&W Federal LE BallistiClean 125gr. RHT Frangible
    $349.95
    $0.35/ppr

    3 In Stock

    Bullet type
    Frangible     Muzzle Energy
    469     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1300     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    125 Grain
  7. 1000rds - 40 S&W PMC 180gr. FMJ Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W PMC 180gr. FMJ Ammo
    $349.95
    $0.35/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    14 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    388     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    985     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    180 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  8. 1000rds - 40 S&W MAGTECH 180gr. FMJ Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W MAGTECH 180gr. FMJ Ammo
    $354.95
    $0.35/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 3 Reviews

    14 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 3 Reviews

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    392     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    990     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    180 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  9. 50rds – 40 S&W Federal LE BallistiClean 125gr. RHT Frangible 50rds – 40 S&W Federal LE BallistiClean 125gr. RHT Frangible
    $17.95
    $0.36/ppr

    134 In Stock

    Bullet type
    Frangible     Muzzle Energy
    469     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1300     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    125 Grain
  10. 1000rds - 40 S&W Fiocchi 170gr. FMJ Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Fiocchi 170gr. FMJ Ammo
    $359.95
    $0.36/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 2 Reviews

    11 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 2 Reviews

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    381     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1020     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    170 Grain
  11. 1000rds - 40 S&W PMC 165gr. FMJ Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W PMC 165gr. FMJ Ammo
    $359.95
    $0.36/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    12 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    358     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    989     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    165 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  12. 1000rds - 40 S&W Speer Lawman 165gr TMJ Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Speer Lawman 165gr TMJ Ammo
    $369.95
    $0.37/ppr

    1 In Stock

    Bullet type
    Total Metal Jacket (TMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    484     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1150     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    165 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  13. 1000rds - 40 S&W Remington UMC 180gr. Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Remington UMC 180gr. Ammo
    $379.95
    $0.38/ppr

    8 In Stock

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    392     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    990     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    180 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  14. 1000rds - 40 S&W Speer Lawman Clean-Fire 180gr. TMJ Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Speer Lawman Clean-Fire 180gr. TMJ Ammo
    $379.95
    $0.38/ppr

    5 In Stock

    Bullet type
    Total Metal Jacket (TMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    400     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1000     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    180 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  15. 40 S&W - 165 Grain FMJ - Blazer Brass - 1000 Rounds 40 S&W - 165 Grain FMJ - Blazer Brass - 1000 Rounds
    $384.95
    $0.38/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 5 Reviews

    4 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 5 Reviews

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    404     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1050     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    165 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  16. 50rds - 40 S&W Sellier & Bellot 180gr. FMJ Ammo 50rds - 40 S&W Sellier & Bellot 180gr. FMJ Ammo
    $19.95
    $0.4/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 5 Reviews

    11 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 5 Reviews

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    375     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    968     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    180 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  17. 50rds - 40 S&W Fiocchi 170gr. FMJ Ammo 50rds - 40 S&W Fiocchi 170gr. FMJ Ammo
    $19.95
    $0.4/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 2 Reviews

    115 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 2 Reviews

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    381     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1020     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    170 Grain
  18. 50rds – 40 S&W Magtech 165gr. FMC Flat Ammo 50rds – 40 S&W Magtech 165gr. FMC Flat Ammo
    $19.95
    $0.4/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    32 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket Flat Nose (FMJFN)     Muzzle Energy
    404     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1050     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    165 Grain
  19. 500rds - 40 S&W Winchester USA 180gr. FMJ Ammo 500rds - 40 S&W Winchester USA 180gr. FMJ Ammo
    $209.95
    $0.42/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    30 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Review

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    416     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1020     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    180 Grain
    Ballistic Data Available
  20. 500rds - 40 S&W Winchester USA Value Pack 165gr. FMJ Ammo 500rds - 40 S&W Winchester USA Value Pack 165gr. FMJ Ammo
    $209.95
    $0.42/ppr

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 3 Reviews

    29 In Stock

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 3 Reviews

    Bullet type
    Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)     Muzzle Energy
    412     Casing Type
    Brass     Muzzle Velocity
    1060     Primer Type
    Boxer     Bullet Weight
    165 Grain

1 - 20 of 74

Geltest header image

40 S&W ballistic gel test results

We shot 28 self-defense loads of 40 S&W ammo into ballistic gel

Used firearms icon
Firearm Used S&W M&P40c
Barrel length icon
Barrel Length 3.5"
Distance target icon
Distance to Target 10 Feet
Barrier icon
Barrier 4-layer cloth
Ammo 5-shot average penetration depth 5-shot average diameter 5-shot average velocity
20rds - 40 S&W Barnes 140gr. TAC-XPD HP Ammo 20rds - 40 S&W Barnes 140gr. TAC-XPD HP Ammo
  11.7"
0.76" 1027
20rds – 40 S&W Black Hills 140gr. Barnes TAC-XP HP Ammo 20rds – 40 S&W Black Hills 140gr. Barnes TAC-XP HP Ammo
  11.06"
0.73" 1088
20rds – 40 S&W Black Hills 180gr. JHP Ammo 20rds – 40 S&W Black Hills 180gr. JHP Ammo
  21.98"
0.43" 957
20rds - 40 S&W Federal Hydra-Shok 165gr. HP Ammo 500rds – 40 S&W Federal Hydra-Shok 165 gr. JHP Ammo 500rds – 40 S&W Federal Hydra-Shok 165 gr. JHP Ammo
  16.7"
0.48" 960
50rds - 40 S&W Federal LE Tactical HST 165gr. HP Ammo 1000rds – 40 S&W Federal Premium Law Enforcement 165gr. HST JHP Ammo 1000rds – 40 S&W Federal Premium Law Enforcement 165gr. HST JHP Ammo
  18.92"
0.68" 1037
20rds – 40 S&W Federal Personal Defense 180gr. HST Ammo 20rds – 40 S&W Federal Personal Defense 180gr. HST Ammo
  15.4"
0.72" 940
1000rds - 40 S&W Federal Premium Tactical 180gr. HST JHP Ammo 50rds – 40 S&W Federal Tactical 180gr. HST Ammo 50rds – 40 S&W Federal Tactical 180gr. HST Ammo
  15.38"
0.69" 983
20rds - 40 S&W G2 Research RIP 115gr. HP LF Ammo 20rds - 40 S&W G2 Research RIP 115gr. HP LF Ammo
  10.68"
0.4" 1082
20rds - 40 S&W Hornady 180gr. XTP Jacketed Hollow Point Ammo 200rds – 40 S&W Hornady Custom 180gr. XTP Ammo 200rds – 40 S&W Hornady Custom 180gr. XTP Ammo
  23.28"
0.4" 913
20rds - 40 S&W Hornady Critical Defense 165gr. HP Ammo 200rds - 40 S&W Hornady Critical Defense 165gr HP Ammo 200rds - 40 S&W Hornady Critical Defense 165gr HP Ammo
  18.68"
0.47" 1047
20rds – 40 S&W Hornady Critical Duty 175gr. FlexLock Ammo 200rds - 40 S&W Hornady Critical Duty 175gr. FlexLock HP Ammo 200rds - 40 S&W Hornady Critical Duty 175gr. FlexLock HP Ammo
  19.34"
0.47" 978
20rds - 40 S&W Magtech First Defense Justice 130gr. SCHP Ammo 20rds - 40 S&W Magtech First Defense Justice 130gr. SCHP Ammo
  13.7"
0.69" 1233
50rds - 40 S&W Remington Golden Saber Black Belt 180gr. BJHP Ammo 50rds - 40 S&W Remington Golden Saber Black Belt 180gr. BJHP Ammo
  20.84"
0.45" 864
20rds - 40 S&W Sig-Sauer Elite Performance Ammunition 165gr. V-Crown JHP Ammo 20rds - 40 S&W Sig-Sauer Elite Performance Ammunition 165gr. V-Crown JHP Ammo
  20.26"
0.48" 1016
1000rds - 40 S&W Speer Gold Dot LE 155gr. GDHP Ammo 50rds – 40 S&W Speer LE Gold Dot 155gr. JHP Ammo 50rds – 40 S&W Speer LE Gold Dot 155gr. JHP Ammo
  15.08"
0.63" 1143
50rds – 40 S&W Speer LE Gold Dot 165gr. JHP Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Speer Gold Dot LE 165gr. JHP Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Speer Gold Dot LE 165gr. JHP Ammo
  15.88"
0.62" 1080
50rds - 40 S&W Speer LE Gold Dot 180gr. HP Ammo 1000rds – 40 S&W Speer Gold Dot 180gr. Bonded JHP Ammo 1000rds – 40 S&W Speer Gold Dot 180gr. Bonded JHP Ammo
  14.58"
0.64" 969
20rds – 40 S&W Speer Gold Dot 165gr. JHP Ammo 20rds – 40 S&W Speer Gold Dot 165gr. JHP Ammo
  17.24"
0.54" 1036
50rds - 40 S&W Winchester Silvertip 155gr. Hollow Point Ammo 500rds - 40 S&W Winchester Silvertip 155gr. Hollow Point Ammo 500rds - 40 S&W Winchester Silvertip 155gr. Hollow Point Ammo
  16.26"
0.62" 1214
20rds – 40 S&W Winchester Defender 165gr. PDX1 Bonded JHP Ammo
  16.44"
0.71" 1069
20rds – 40 S&W Winchester Defender 180gr. PDX1 Bonded JHP Ammo 20rds – 40 S&W Winchester Defender 180gr. PDX1 Bonded JHP Ammo
  17.02"
0.67" 979
20rds - 40 S&W Winchester W Train and Defend 180gr. JHP Ammo 200rds - 40 S&W Winchester W Train and Defend 180gr. JHP Ammo 200rds - 40 S&W Winchester W Train and Defend 180gr. JHP Ammo
  16"
0.66" 868
50rds – 40 S&W Winchester Ranger T-Series 180gr. JHP Ammo - Law Enforcement Trade-In 500rds – 40 S&W Winchester Ranger T-Series 180gr. JHP Ammo - Law Enforcement Trade-In 500rds – 40 S&W Winchester Ranger T-Series 180gr. JHP Ammo - Law Enforcement Trade-In
  16.46"
0.74" 1118
50rds – 40 S&W Winchester Ranger T-Series 165gr. JHP Ammo - Law Enforcement Trade-In 500rds - 40 S&W Winchester Ranger Talon 165gr. HP Ammo 500rds - 40 S&W Winchester Ranger Talon 165gr. HP Ammo
  15.84"
0.73" 1127
50rds - 40 S&W Federal LE Tactical HST 180gr. HP Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Federal Premium Law Enforcement HST 180gr. JHP Ammo 1000rds - 40 S&W Federal Premium Law Enforcement HST 180gr. JHP Ammo
  16.4"
0.72" 962
50rds - 40 S&W Federal Train + Protect 180gr. VHP Ammo 50rds - 40 S&W Federal Train + Protect 180gr. VHP Ammo
  21.72"
0.46" 914
20rds - 40 S&W Magtech 130gr. First Defense Solid Copper HP Ammo 20rds - 40 S&W Magtech 130gr. First Defense Solid Copper HP Ammo
  13.5"
0.59" 1086
20rds - 40 S&W MAGTECH Guardian Gold 155gr. HP Ammo 20rds - 40 S&W MAGTECH Guardian Gold 155gr. HP Ammo
  18.1"
0.58" 1175
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More About 40 S&W Ammo

When Was the .40 S&W Created?

In the world of firearms, the .40 S&W is actually a fairly new cartridge. It was created in 1990 after an infamous shootout between two bank robbers and eight FBI agents. Two agents lost their lives in a gun battle that saw the law enforcement personnel heavily outgunned. Despite being hit by the agents, the bank robbers were able to continue fighting, although they were eventually killed by law enforcement. In the aftermath, the FBI commissioned the production of a powerful cartridge with manageable recoil, giving law enforcement stopping power while allowing for accurate secondary shots. With this goal in mind, the .40 S&W was born.

What Does the “S&W” Mean?

“S&W” stands for Smith & Wesson, the company that was primarily responsible for creating the cartridge. It is common practice, dating back to the 1800’s, to have companies put their names on ammunition. This is seen in rounds like the .223 Remington, .270 Winchester, and 9mm Luger.

How Does the .40 S&W Compare to the 9mm Luger?

While these two cartridges are often compared, due mostly to the overall popularity of both, they are distinctly different products. The biggest difference is size: .40 S&W is noticeably larger than 9mm Luger ammo and has a wider bullet and neck diameter. They do, however, have similar overall lengths. Because of the wider diameters, the .40 S&W generally has higher stats for power. Head to our blog for more on how 40 S&W compares to 9mm.

Is a 10mm Auto the Same as a .40 S&W?

No. While these two cartridges are similar in diameters, they are different in overall length. They both have bullet diameters of .4 inches, but the 10mm Auto has a longer overall length. The result is that the 10mm Auto generally fires at a faster speed and has more power compared to the .40 S&W, assuming the cartridges are loaded with similar bullets. The .40 S&W, however, has lighter recoil. In fact, it was designed to have a forceful impact with lighter recoil, which makes for accurate followup shots.

What Type of .40 S&W Ammo Should I Purchase?

That depends on the purpose for your ammunition. If you are using the cartridges for target practice or competition, you will likely want full metal jacket rounds, which cycle with greater ease and leave less fouling in the barrel. On the other hand, if you are loading your weapon for self defense, you will want expanding rounds, such as jacketed hollow points or jacketed soft-nose bullets.

Recent 40 S&W Reviews

  • ☆☆☆☆☆
    I understand people at first saying that this round was a gimmick. I even waited for two iterations of this round before giving it a good go. With this being the third generation of the RIP projectile, I can definitely say that they got it right. They serrated the trocars so that they would penetrate deeper which was an absolute pro move. They also added weight to them, and now the trocar penetrate deeper in ballistics gel and view any x-ray of an RIP bullet victim and you will see I just how deep the trocars now penetrate and spread. I was once a skeptic, and I certainly believe the first generation had its issues. But now I am an absolute believer, and would not trust any other round for within my home, where I need around to dump all of its energy into the intended target and not leave any projectile outside of them.
    TD on 20rds - 40 S&W G2 Research RIP 115gr. HP LF Ammo
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
    180 gr rounds but love the 1100 fps and 484 FP of torque
    Steven Goellner on 20rds – 40 S&W Underwood 180gr. JHP Ammo
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
    Good price and fast shipping !!
    Ned Ward on 1000rds - 40 S&W PMC 165gr. FMJ Ammo
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
    Except product. I tested some in a handgun with a 4.25 inch barrel and got about the same results as shown here. Excellent expansion and penetrated a little more than a foot. I had the same results in 45 acp caliber too. This product is top notch.
    JRH on 20rds – 40 S&W Winchester Defender 165gr. PDX1 Bonded JHP Ammo